Rode the Buell 1125 Cafe Racer lately, which is really a kind of all-rounder, as it’s far too comfortable to be labelled a cafe racer. It’s another step along the road towards respectable performance biking for Buell.
The launch in Germany saw a small racetrack used, very twisty, couple of tricky hairpins and the new bike did well. It pulled from lowdown, barely twitched or shimmied when flicked thru S curves and the front brake is all you need and then some.
Comes with Pirelli Diablos as standard and they’ve geared the bike down from the R version, so it wheelies real easy too. There are optional `ace’ bars for trackday addicts, but the 1125CR isn’t a trackday bike, it’s too easy to ride, too torquey and taller riders will feel kinda perched on top of the short chassis too.
On the road it really thrums along past traffic, although I think the R version’s half fairing is more use at speed than the tiny flyscreen on the CR. The motor sounds good, fuelling is OK, bit on/off when cold, and the welding, component details and so on look fair – still some odd gaps in the Buell bodywork occasionally.
But overall, they’re on a mission and the Helicon’s claimed 146bhp should put the CR on the map for riders used to regarding Buells as underpowered, pushrod dinosaurs. This is a good, honest, fun bike, although I still think it’s too ugly to tempt riders away from something like an XJR1300, Monster, Benelli TnT, Bandit 1250, Guzzi Griso 1100, or even the new Street Triple 675 R, which is a bargain by comparison.
ADVENTURE ON THE HORIZON
The next Buell bike using the water-cooled motor is likely to be an adventure touring model to replace the Ulysses and XB12T models in 2009. Perfect timing, as Honda have slipped up by failing to revive the Africa Twin for 09, which their dealers in Europe are screaming for by the way…
If they lengthen the 1125R chassis a touch, soften the motor’s power slightly and make 6th a real motorway overdrive, then they could be onto something with a new Ulysses 1125 Explorer.
WELCOME TO H-D SPORT & ADVENTURE STORES?
The only fly in the ointment is a likely rejig of the new H-D/Buell/MV Agusta/Cagiva dealer network across Europe. If Buell get a poor shake of the dice in that respect and end up shunted into backstreet and smaller shops, their new 1125 range could be overshadowed by a revived MV brand, even in the teeth of an economic recession.
Ideally, Buell needs to be pulled from the trad H-D dealerships, along with the V-Rods, and placed in new showrooms, alongside MV Agustas, with all the brands sportier/adventure bikes aimed at completely different riders from the old school cruiser/Fat Boy crowd. HOG members are a separate tribe from Buell, MV or V-Rod owners, and always will be.
But can that new marketing strategy happen? Who will pay for new H-D Sport stores to be built, who will underwrite dealer stock loans? It is an interesting time to be a European Harley dealer, as some tough decisions will have to be made by both manufacturer and dealer alike, if Buell is to flourish as a distinct marque within the H-D group.
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